Why Stress Relief is Important for Association Professionals

As an association leader, you have firsthand experience of the rigorous demands of working at an association. Just as you’re busy trying to determine how to add value to your member experience, your team is hard at work growing your organization’s revenue, scheduling networking events, and searching for resources to offer your members.

However, a natural byproduct of their hard work and responsibilities is stress. Defined by the World Health Organization as a “state of worry or mental tension,” stress is a normal part of life as a working professional, but too much of it can lead to lower-quality work and burnout.

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at why stress relief is important for association professionals. Then, we’ll discuss a few ways you can help your employees reduce their stress levels to ensure that they remain engaged with their work. Let’s get started!

The Importance of Stress Relief for Association Professionals

According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce report, stress is at a record high, with 44% of employees saying that they experienced a lot of stress the previous day. And, employees in the U.S. are one of the most stressed populations globally.

But that doesn’t tell you why it’s so important to prioritize relieving stress for association professionals. To help you gain a better understanding, here are a few areas in which stress negatively impacts your employees:

• Physical health. Stress can lead to short-term side effects such as headaches, muscle tension, chest pain, and fatigue. It can also impact physical health in the long term through disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

• Mental health. Chronic stress affects mental health negatively. Individuals who experience long-term stress may have difficulty concentrating or thinking, memory issues, and increased moodiness and irritability. Plus, they may feel hopeless, depressed, anxious, or agitated.

• Quality of life. Too much stress leads to a lower quality of life. Aside from the health impacts above, individuals who experience a great deal of stress may experience social withdrawal, nervous habits such as nail biting, and neglect of family or work responsibilities. Additionally, stress may result in increased use of caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs.

When you prioritize stress relief at your association, you’ll not only help your team members avoid the negative effects listed above but also gain the following benefits:

• Greater employee engagement. 360MatchPro defines employee engagement as the connection an employee has with their workplace, especially regarding their feelings of commitment, purpose, and belonging. When association professionals are less stressed, they’re more likely to feel connected to their roles and will work fervently to fulfill your association’s purpose.

• Increased productivity. Professionals who aren’t experiencing chronic stress are, in general, more clear-headed and have better moods. Thus, these employees will be more productive in their work, making it valuable for association leaders to prioritize stress relief for their workers.

• Reduced absenteeism. Stressed individuals are more likely to neglect their work responsibilities, which may result in higher absenteeism. Employees who are less stressed will be less likely to call out from work, reducing the overall absenteeism rates of your organization. And, less stress also means less turnover and higher employee retention rates.

Association professionals have a great deal of responsibility, as they need to cater to the members of your association. For example, members of an entrepreneurial association will want to learn how to establish their new businesses, connect with like-minded professionals, and develop their skills to advance their careers. Your employees need to anticipate and fulfill these desires, so to offer members the value that they want, make sure that your employees are in tip-top shape.

Relieving Stress for Association Professionals: 3 Tips

Committing to reducing stress for your association professionals is easier said than done. Here are three actionable tips to help you get started on your journey to relieving stress for your employees.

1. Create a supportive environment.

Of the top 10 causes of stress at work, six of them relate to workplace culture. These causes include lack of control, lack of support, senior staff members, peers, insufficient training, and bullying. This indicates that the first step to a stress-free workplace is to create a supportive environment.

You can do this by:

• Aligning your core values with your goals

• Setting clear expectations

• Encouraging open communication

• Empowering employees to take ownership of their work

A supportive workplace culture means that association professionals shouldn’t feel scared to seek help for responsibilities big and small. People are naturally scared of failure—if they’re assured that they’ll be supported in times of uncertainty, they’ll feel less stressed about their responsibilities. Plus, if they’re in charge of a more significant project, such as a fundraising event, your association will benefit from the heightened collaboration.

2. Empower healthy work-life balance.

Work-life balance refers to establishing a stable and sustainable system of working while maintaining health and general well-being. A healthy work-life balance looks different for everyone, but almost always includes the minimization of work-related stress.

As an association leader, you can support work-life balance for your employees through the following strategies:

• Allow remote work. Another factor in the top 10 causes of work-related stress is commute time. You can effectively eliminate this stressor by allowing your association professionals to work remotely. That way, they won’t have to worry about their commute and will have more time to unwind after any particularly stressful work days.

• Implement flexible hours. For many organizations, work hours are fairly inflexible, making it difficult for employees to schedule important appointments such as doctor checkups. Add more flexibility for your association professionals by implementing flexible hours. For example, instead of requiring them to work from 9 AM to 5 PM, ask them instead to work eight hours between 7 AM and 7 PM.

• Add wellness programs. Show your association’s employees that you’re dedicated to creating a less stressful environment for them by incorporating wellness programs. This may take the form of gym membership stipends, catered healthy lunches, or even ergonomic workspaces.

Additionally, if any of your association professionals are feeling the physical effects of stress, consider recommending that they receive a massage. If cost is a prohibiting factor, MassageBook says that some health insurance companies will cover the cost of massages, making it more affordable for your employees.

3. Seek external help.

If you still feel unsure about how to best relieve stress for your association’s employees, then it may be time to seek external help. It’s not uncommon for associations to work with external agencies, such as marketing companies, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to work with an external vendor to reduce employee stress.

If this is an option you’re interested in, consider working with an employee engagement agency. While these companies may not directly address stress, their focus on improving employee efficiency, collaboration, and engagement will result in lowered stress levels for your employees.

Additionally, take a leaf out of the business world by investing in software solutions that make your association professionals’ lives easier. Just as a massage therapist might purchase massage software, you can invest in an association management solution. The right tool will combine all of the features you need to boost productivity and manage members, greatly reducing the workload and stress of association professionals.

Reducing the stress of employees isn’t always at the top of associations’ priority lists, but it’s crucial for creating a productive work environment. With focused and energized association professionals on your team, you’ll be able to generate more value from employees and maximize the engagement of your association’s members. Begin by surveying your employees on how you can support them in their roles and implementing the best suggestions.

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